Episode #58. Smart Tech, Smarter Care: How Nurses Are Making Innovation Work, with Dr. Simmy King, Chief Nursing Informatics and Education Officer at Children’s National Hospital

Nurses must not only have a seat at the table—they should be sending the invitations and leading the conversation on technology and care. In this episode, Dr. Simmy King, Chief Nursing Informatics and Education Officer at Children’s National Hospital and Associate Professor of Pediatrics, discusses how the fusion of informatics, education, and wellness can drive safer care, better outcomes, and a more resilient workforce. She traces lessons from two decades of leadership, showing how bold, collaborative nurse leadership accelerates digital transformation. Dr. King explains why education and technology became inseparable during COVID, how competencies and critical thinking must evolve with AI, and why ambient tools, telehealth, and data-driven workflows should lighten—never add to—clinician burden. She also shares practical change management and financial framing for new tech (measure value beyond dollars, plan for future gains), insights from a major EHR transition after 20 years, and examples like chatbots for scalable learning and early burnout detection. Her advice to new nurses: stay curious, learn continuously, build cross-industry networks, and never lose sight of human connection.  Tune in and learn how technology, education, and empathy can unite to shape the next era of nursing leadership and patient-centered care! Resources: Connect with and follow Dr. Simmy King on LinkedIn. Learn more about Dr. King on her website! Follow the Children’s National Hospital on LinkedIn and discover their website! Read AONL: Nurse Leaders’ Role in Digital Transformation here.